Automatic switching apparatus



H. SENGEBUSCH AUTOMA June 20, 1933.

[C SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 16, 1951 June 20, 1933. H. SENGEBUSCH 1,914,535

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inuenlor' Hans 5555213145211 WWW Patented June 20, 1933 UNITED srA'rss PA lldill OF EE HANS SENGEBUSCH, OF VILLA PAR-K, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY ASSIGNMENTS,

TO ASSOCIATED ELECTRIC LABORATORIES, INC OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS, A CORPO- RLATION OF DELAWARE AUTOMATIC SVYI'IOI-IING APPARATUS Application filed November 16, 1931. Serial No. 575,401.

The present invention relates in general to automatic switching apparatus, but is particularly concerned with the production of a switch in the nature of an improvement upon that type having downward and rotary selecting motion.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an automatic switch of simple structure, and which is rapid and accurate in its operation.

In the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, the operating motor comprises a spring which is wound up during the restoring movement of the switch to replace the energy expended by a previous operation. This spring motor, the details of which are herein later described, actuates the shaft in its downward and rotary movement, step-by-step, under the control of an escape ment mechanism.

Other features of this invention will appear from the detailed description and claims.

The invention is illustrated by means of two sheets of drawings comprising Figs. 1

to 10, inclusive. Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are front and side views of the switch, in elevation, with certain parts omitted for the sake of clearness; Fig. 4, is a top view; Fig. 5, is

a sectional View, taken on lines 55 of Fig. 1; while Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, illustrate various details.

The support for the switch mechanism comprises two main frame portions 26 and 54, respectively. The portion 26 comprises the framework upon which is mounted substantially all of the driven mechanism of the switch, while the frame portion 54 simply supports the operating magnets, their armatures, and the spring combinations directly operated by them.

Mounted in the front portion of the frame member 26 is a shaft 7 0,shown in Figs. 3, 4., and 5-the upper end of which extends into a bearing member 79shown in Fig.

4-Which is pressed into an opening in the top of the frame member 26. The lower end of the shaft 7 0 is held in place in the frame member by an adjustable threaded bearing 74: and a lock-nut 75, as shown in Fig. 3.

The shaft 70 has mounted thereon, in fixed relation thereto, the ratchet wheel 40 and a helical gear 6. Before the shaft is put in place, a power spring 25 is also mounted thereon and has its upper end secured in fixed f" relation thereto and its lower end secured to a pin member 37 at the lower end of the frame member 26, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

To the left of the shaft 70, having reference to Fig. 1, a shaft 20 is mounted in the frame portion 26. This shaft at its lower end enters an opening in the frame and is fixed with respect thereto by means of a set screw 80,

shown in Fig. 2. At the top of the frame member 26 the shaft 20 passes through an enlarged opening in the frame member and then into an opening in a plate member 81, most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The plate member 81 is pivoted about the exterior of an upwardly extending portion of bearing member 79, but the extent of rotation is, however, limited to a few degrees, by the opening in the frame through which the shaft 20 passes, and by a holding screw 82 passing through a slot in the plate 81. A spring 62 normally maintains the plate 81 and the shaft 20 in a definite position under its tension with respect to the upper opening in frame 26 through which it passes, for a purpose which will subsequently be made clear.

The shaft '70 when in place, is rotated to the left in order to store up the necessary residual tension in the power spring 25, and is held against rotation in the reverse direction by a pawl 53 of an cseapement anchor constituting of bracket member 65 which is pivoted to the shaft 20. The pawl 58 is normally held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 40 by a spring 19 secured to pins on frame member 65 and the frame member 26, respectively.

The wiper carrying shaft 1 of the switch has fixed thereto a helical gear 4. A bracket member 23 is also held in a fixed endwise relation to said shaft by a collar 58 held to the shaft by a clamping screw 38. The shaft itself is normally held in place, with the gear 4 in mesh with the gear 6, by members 2 and 32 hrough which the. shaft passes. These members are pivotedto a shaft 3 which passes through the upper and lower portions of the frame member 26 and through appropriate openings in members 2 and 32. The shaft 3 also passes freely through appropriate openings in the upper and lower extensions 5 and 24 of the member 23, and is held in fixed relation to the frame portion 26 by a pair of set screws 48. The otherwise free ends of members 2 and 32 are held in position with respect to the frame member 26 by screws 35 and 36. The correct mesh between the gears 4 and 6 may be obtained by employing one or more shims 49 between the members 2 and 32 and the frame portion 26. Obviously the removal of the screws 35 and 36 permits the swinging of the wiper shaft assembly, including the gear 4, away from the associated gear 6.

Pivotally secured to the upper portion 5 of bracket 23 is a locking lever 30, which, under tension of the associated spring 43, normally engages a slot 63 in gear 4, thereby locking the shaft 1 against rotary movement. It will, therefore, be obvious that under these circumstances rotation of the helical gear 6 will result in an endwise movement of the wiper-carrying shaft 1. At definite endwise positions of the shaft 1 the locking member 30 may be rotated clear of gear 4 and into grooves 18, cut into shaft 3, thereby freeing the shaft 1 as regards rotary movement, but looking it against further endwise movement; under these circumstances further rotation of the helical gear 6 will, therefore, be effective to rotate the wiper shaft 1.

As most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, a number of spring assemblies are mounted on the frame member 26 and may be operated during the endwise and rotary motions of the wiper shaft 1. The spring combination 44 is operated by a bushing 45 carried by bracket 8. This bracket is-pivoted to a member 46 secured to the fram member 26, and has an arm encountered by the upper side of gear 4 when the switch shaft is in its normal position. Upon the initial endwise movement of the shaft, the gear 4 moves away from its arm and, in so doing, permits the spring combination 44 to be influenced solely by the tension of its springs. In the example shown, the springs are closed upon the initial endwise movement of the wiper shaft.

The spring combinations 12 and 13 are arranged for operation at any or all stages of the endwise movement of the wiper shaft and are operated by the bushings 10 and 11. These bushings are secured to brackets 51 and 52 which are pivotally secured to a bracket 16 secured to the frame member 26. The pivoted brackets 51 and 52 are provided with comb members 51 and 52 which are encountered during the endwise movement of shaft 1 by a roller 9 secured to an extended portion of the bracket 23. In instances where the operation of one, the other, or

both, spring combinations 12 or 13 is not desired at a particular endwise position of the shaft, its member 51 or 52, as the case may be, may have a tooth removed at this point to prevent such operation.

The remaining spring combination 15 is normally held in an operated position by a bushing 14 secured to the member 22. This member is pivoted to the bracket 17 secured to the frame member 26. A portion of the member 22 is encountered by a raised portion of a cam disk 21, secured to the collar 58 on shaft 1 by a screw 55, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and holds the member 22 and the spring combination 15 in the position shown in all endwise positions of the shaft 1. However, upon the initial rotary movement of the shaft the raised portion of the cam 21 is rotated clear of the member 22, thereby permitting the spring combination 15 to move to its alternate position.

The wiper assemblies 83 and 84 are secured to the wiper shaft through the medium of clamping members 41 and 42. The banks of contacts over which the Wiper assemblies 83 and 84 are arranged to pass may be the same as disclosed in Patent No. 815,321, and are fixed to the frame member 26 in the usual manner to portions of the frame member, not shown, but are extensions to the left and right, respectively, of the portions 27 and 28.

The frame portion 54, which, as previously mentioned, supports the magnets and their armature assemblies, will now be described. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the frame member 54 has mounted thereon, by means of screws 71, 72, and 73, respectively; restoring, changeover, and escapementmagnets 90, 91, and 92, respectively. The armatures of these magnets are all pivoted to the frame member 54 in like manner, and a description of the pivoting arrangement of the armature 69 of magnet 90 will, therefore, suflice. The pivot pin 85 passes freely through ears 88 of the armature 69 and is held clamped to the frame member 54 in the proper position with respect to the restoring magnet 90 by the clamping member 87 and the screws 86.

As will be observed from Fig. 3 a spring combination 75, mounted on the frame mem ber 54, is in operative relation :with the bushing carried by the extension 69' of the armature 69 of the restoring magnet. Therefore, each time this magnet is energized the springs of the combination will be actuated. Likewise the spring combinati on 57 is mounted on the frame member 54 in operative relation to the bushing 59 carried by the armature 56 of the escapement magnet 92 and this spring combination will, accordingly, be operated each time the escapement magnet is energized. A spring combination 97 is also mounted in operative relation with armature 67 of the changeover magnet 91.

As will be observed from Fig. 4, the armature restoring spring 88 for the armature 69 of the restoring magnet has one end secured to an adjustable slide member 89. To secure the frame portion 54 to portion 26, the otherwise free end of spring 88 is hooked on the armature 69, and the frame member 54 is then secured to the frame member 26 by means of screws and 66, as shown in Fig. 3. As most clearly shown in Fig. 4, when the frame member 54 is in place, the pawl 60, carried by the restoring magnet armature 69, is in operative relation with the ratchet wheel 40. The pawl 60, is however, normally maintained clear of the ratchet wheel by an arm 60, of the pawl 60, which encounters a holding member 78 secured to the frame member 26. Upon energization of the magnet 90 and the consequent attraction of its armature 69 the member 60 is permitted to rotate under tension of its spring 93 into engagement with a tooth of the ratchet wheel 40, and consequently, upon further movement of armature 69 rotation of the ratchet wheel 40 is brought about. Obviously the direction of rotation is such that the pawl 53 of the escapement anchor 7 rides over the ratchet teeth of ratchet Wheel 40 and, therefore, serves to hold the ratchet wheel 40, helical gear 6, and the wiper shaft 1 in any position to which the restoring magnet assembly may rotate them.

As most clearly shown in Fig. 5, it will be observed that an extension 33 of the armature 56 of escapement magnet 92 normally rests against the lever 34 comprising a part of the bracket 65 carrying the escapement anchor 7. Therefore, upon energization of the magnet 92, the member 65 and the escapement anchor are rotated a sufficient distance to permit the ratchet wheel 40 to rotate. The pawl 58 of the anchor 7 limits the distance of rotation to one step upon each energization of the escapement magnet 92. As will be observed from Fig. 4, the impact produced by the pawl 58 in stopping the rotation of ratchet 40 is cushioned by a slight rotation of member 81 against the tension of its spring 62. It will also be observed from Figs. 3, 8, and 9, that the armature 67 of the changeover magnet is provided with a back stop 68 and is arranged opposite the free end of lever 30 adjacent the shaft 3 at all endwise positions of the Wiper shaft 1. It will be apparent, therefore, that following any endwise movement of the shaft the changeover magnet 91 may be operated, through the medium of its armature 67, to swing the lever 30 clear of the notch 63 in the gear 4 and into one of the grooves 18 of the shaft 3, thereby freeing the shaft 1 for rotary movement, and at the same time looking the same against further endwise movement. The rotary movement of the shaft 1 is now simply accomplished by further repeated operations of the escapementmagnet 90. The extent of possible rotary movement of the shaft 1 is limited to eleven steps or substantially 165 by the stop pin 96 on gear 4.

After the switch has been operated its restoration is brought about by the repeated energization and deenergization of the restoring magnet 90. As an example, it will be assumed that the switch shaft 1 has been moved endwise five steps and has then been rotated five steps, constituting a total of ten steps taken by the switch in a selecting operation. Ten energizations of the restoring magnet 90, will be required to fully restore the switch. The first five energizations of magnet 90 cause the helical gears 6 and 4 to be rotated a sufficient distance to enable the locking lever 30 to again enter the notch 63 in the gear 4 under tension of its associated spring 43, thereby locking the shaft against further rotary movement. The subsequent five energizations of the storing magnet 90, therefore, will cause the helical gears 6 and 4 to move the shaft 1 endwise to its normal position. During the restoring operation the spring 25 is again wound up to its initial tension.

Whatis claimed is:

1. In an operating mechanism of a switch of the two-motion type wherein sub-group contact selection may be made by the movement of a shaft in a primary direction and wherein a specific selection may then be made by movement of the shaft in a secondary direction, the provision of a normally tensioned spring for operating the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions, and means which is operated, after a selection has been made, to restore the shaft and'at the same time restore the tension in said spring initially employed in the selecting operation.

2. In an operating mechanism of a switch of the two-motion type wherein sub-group contact selection may be made by the movement of a shaft in a primary direction and wherein a specific selection may then be made by movement of the shaft in a secondary direction, the provision of a normally tensioned spring for operating the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions, and means including a pawl and ratchet mechanism which is operated to return the shaft to its initial position.

3. In an operating mechanism of a switch of the two-motion type wherein sub-group contact selection may be made by the move ment of a shaft in a primary direction and wherein a specific selection may then be made by movement of the shaft in a secondary direction,the provision of a normally tensioned spring for operating the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions, a magnet and an associated escapement mechanism operated to enable said spring to drive the shaft in both its primary and secondary movements; and a changeover magnet having means controlled thereby, during the operation of said first magnet, to cause the primary movement of the shaft to cease and the secondary movement to begin.

4. In an operating mechanism of a switch of the two-motion type wherein sub-group contact selection may be made by the move ment of a shaft in a primary direction and wherein a specific selection may then be made by movement of the shaft in a secondary direction, the provision of a normally tensioned spring for operating the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions, a ratchet wheel and an associated pawl for driving it to store the energy in said spring necessary for the selecting operation of the shaft, and an escapement device cooperative with said ratchet wheel to control the movement of the shaft during the selecting operation.

5. In an operating mechanism of a switch of the two-motion type wherein sub-group contact selection may be made by the movement of a shaft in a primary direction and wherein a specific selection may then be made by movement of the shaft in a secondary direction, the provision of a normally tensioned spring for operating the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions, a ratchet wheel and an associated pawl for driving it to store the energy in said spring necessary for the selecting operation of the shaft, an escapement device cooperative with said ratchet wheel to control the movement of the shaft during the selecting operation, a permanent driving connection between said ratchet wheel and the shaft, and means enabling said driving connection to be employed to move the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions.

6. In an operating mechanism of a switch of the two-motion type wherein sub-group contact selection may be made by the movement of a shaft in a primary direction and wherein a specific selection may then be made by movement of the shaft in a secondary direction, the provision of a normally tensioned spring for operating the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions, a ratchet wheel and an associated pawl for driving it to store the energy in said spring necessary for the selecting operation of the shaft, an escapement device cooperative with said ratchet wheel to control the movement of the shaft during the selecting operation, and means for cushioning the escapement mechanism to the impact of said ratchet wheel during the selecting operation.

7. In an operating mechanism of a switch of the two-motion type wherein sub-group contact selection may be made by the movement of a shaft in a primary direction and wherein a specific selection may then be made by movement of the shaft in secondary direction, the provision of a normally tensioned spring for operating the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions, a ratchet wheel and an associated pawl for driving it to store the energy in said spring necessary for the selecting operation of the shaft, an escapement device cooperative with said ratchet wheel to control the movement of the shaftduring the selecting operation, and means enabling a slight movement of the escapement mechanism to occur coincident with its engagement with said ratchet wheel to stop the same.

8. In an operating mechanism of a switch of the two-motion type wherein sub-group contact selection may be made by the movement of a shaft in a primary direction and wherein a specific selection may then be made by movement of the shaft in a secondary direction, the provision of a normally tensioned spring for operating the shaft in both the primary and secondary directions, a shaft carrying a ratchet wheel, a first helical gear and a power spring, respectively, a second helical gear on the switch shaft permanently in mesh with the first gear; means normally holding said second gear against rotation, thereby enabling the rotation of said first gear to cause an endwise movement of the shaft through the medium of said helical gears; a pawl for driving said first gear to move said shaft endwise and to also rotate the same, and means effective, when operated, to disable said holding means to enable the rotation of the shaft.

9. In a switch mechanism, a contact wiper carrying shaft, a first gear on said shaft, means includin a second gear normally in mesh with sairf first gear for moving said shaft through the medium of said first gear, and means enabling the wiper carrying shaft with said first gear to be readily swung clear of operative relation with the second gear.

10. In a switch mechanism of the general type having a shaft carrying wipers cooperative with an associated bank of contacts, wherein the wipers and shaft are first moved vertically and are then rotated to selectively connect .the wipers with specific contacts of the bank, and wherein the operations of the shaft and wipers is brought about by mechanism driven by a set of electromagnets, the provision of a frame which supports the driven portion of the mechanism employed, a second frame which supports the magnets and initial driving elements of the mechanism, and means enabling the two frames to be readily separated one from the other while the specified elements thereon are retained substantially intact.

11. In a switch mechanism of the type wherein a shaft is first moved endwise and is then rotated to selectively position a pair of wipers carried by the shaft; the provision of a power spring, with means enabling said spring to move said shaft from its normal position to the retent required of it to selectively position its wipers, and a step-by-step mechanism which is then operated to restore the shaft to its initial position against the tension of said spring.

12. In a switch mechanism of the type wherein a shaft is first moved endwise and is then rotated to selectively position a pair of wipers carried by the shaft; the provision of a single step-by-step means for controlling the positioning of the wipers, and other stepby-step means for then restoring the wipers.

13. In a switch mechanism of the type wherein a shaft is first moved endwise and is then rotated to selectively position a pair of wipers carried by the shaft; the provision of means including a magnet-controlled spring-driven escapement mechanism and a changeover magnet enabling the selective endwise and rotary movement of the shaft by said mechanism, and means including a pawl and ratchet mechanism operated to bring about the movement of the shaft to its initial position and to retention the spring of said mechanism.

14. In a switch mechanism of the type wherein a shaft is first moved endwise and is then rotated to selectively position a pair of wipers carried by the shaft; a plurality of groups of spring combinations arranged in the same vertical plane, means for operating the springs of one of said combinations consequent to the initial endwise movement of the shaft, means for operating the springs of one or two of the remaining combinations at any stage of the endwise movement of the shaft, and means for operating the springs of another of said combinations consequent to the initial rotary movement of the shaft.

15. In a switch mechanism of the general type having a shaft carrying wipers cooperative with an associated bank of contacts, wherein the wipers and shaft are first moved vertically and are then rotated to selectively connect the wipers with specific contacts of the bank, and wherein the operations of the shaft and wipers is brought about by mechanism driven by a set of electromagnets, the provision of mechanism which enables two of the magnets to control the selective movement of the shaft, while another of said magnets is enabled to drive the shaft to its initial position and to store the necessary energy in said mechanism for a subsequent movement of the shaft under control of the first two magnets.

16. In a switch mechanism, a contact wiper carrying shaft, a first gear on said shaft, means including a second gear normally in mesh with said first gear for moving said shaft through the medium of said first gear, means enabling the wiper carrying shaft with said first gear to be readily swung clear of operative relation with the second gear, and a power spring for also moving said shaft made available for adjustment when the shaft and said first gear are swung clear of operative relation with said second gear.

17. In a switch mechanism of the type wherein a shaft is first moved endwise and is then rotated to selectively position a pair of wipers carried by the shaft; the provision of a plurality of contact spring combinations, with means comprising a plurality of hinged operating members, and a shaft carried element for operating one or all of said combinations at any stage of the endwise movement of the shaft.

18. In a selecting switch, fixed contacts, movable contacts, an element carrying said movable contacts mounted for movement in two directions, a spring motor for operating the movable contact carrying element in its several selecting movements, means comprising an escapement magnet and a changeover magnet for controlling these movements, and means for restoring said element to normal position.

19. In a selecting switch, fixed contacts, movable contacts, an element carrying said movable contacts mounted for movement in two directions, a spring motor for operating the movable contact carrying element in its severa selecting movements, and an escapement magnet intermittently operated to control said element in its several selecting movements.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 11th day of November, 1931.

HANS .SENGEBUSCH. 

